Door mechanism



Oct. 18, 1932. c. c. TOMKINSON DOOR MECHANISM Filed Jun '7, 1930 INVENTOR (/mr/e: 6", omi/n; 0/?

lflw' ATTORN 5 Patented Oct. 18, 1932 .UNITED STATES PATENT oFricE CHARLES TOIi/IKIN SON, OF PLAINFIELD, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO J. EDWARD OGDEN COMPANY, INC, on EAST ORANGE,

NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY noon MECHANISM Application filed June 7, 1930. Serial No. 459,672.

This invention relatesto door mechanisms and particularly to doors and operating mechanisms therefor-such as are utilized in warehouses, pier sheds or like structures. Doors of the typespecilied are commonly mounted for movement upwardly and inwardly away from the door jamb.

More specifically stated, the invention pertains to latching mechanism for securing the door or door section against the door header or j amb. Such latches must he so constructed and arranged that they can be readily released when the door is opened and will auto matically operate to latch the door when the door is closed.

This invention has for its salient object to vide a door and latch so relatively constructed and arranged that they will automatically move out of coacting relation when the door is opened and will automatically move into coacting relation when the door is closed.

Another object of the invention is to provide a door and a latch therefor so relatively constructed and arranged that the door will be automatically unlatched as it opens and will be automatically latched when it moves to closed position.

Another and more specific object of the invention is to provide door supporting and guiding mechanism, door operating mechanism, and latching means so relatively constructed and arranged as to be applicableto a single door or door section and, furthermore, so arranged that the latch will be automatically released when the door is opened and will automatically latch the door when the door is moved to closed position.

Further objects of the invention will appear from the following specification taken in connection with the drawing, which forms a part of this application, and in which Fig. 1 is a vertical elevational view, partly in section, showing somewhat diagrammatically a two section door and operating mechanism therefor; i

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional elevation of the door shown in Fig. 1 with latching mechanism constructed in accordance with the invention, the door being shown in closed position;

Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation similar to Fig. 2 but showing the door raised vertically at the start of the opening movement thereof;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but showing a slightly different form of latching mechanism Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but showing the pivoted latchin member on the door and the keeper on the door header;

Fig. 6 is view similar to Fig. 2 showing the latch on the supporting and guiding link and the keeper on the door; and

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 6 but showing the pivoted latching member on the door and the keeper on the link;

The invention briefly described consists of door mechanism and latching or locking means for the door comprising a latch'memher and a keeper adapted to coact therewith. The keeper and latch are so mounted and the door is so supported and guided that as the door is opened the latch and keeper will move out of coacting relation with respect to each other and as the door moves to closed position the latch and keeper will move into coacting relation with respect to each other, thus securing the door in latched position against the door header and jamb. In certain embodiments of the invention the latch is mounted on the door header and the keeper on the door and in other forms of the invention this arrangement is reversed. In still further embodiments the latch and keeper are mounted respectivel on the door supporting and guiding lin rs and door, and in still another form this last arrangement is reversed. In all forms of the invention, however, the latch and keeper are so mounted and the door-is so arranged and guided that as the door moves to open position it will he automatically unlatched and as it moves to closed position it will be automatically latched.

Further details of the invention will appear from the following description.

In the diagrammatic illustration in Fig. 1 there is shown a door header 10,, a casing or jamb 11, and upper and. lower door sections 12 and 13.

The lower section 13 has rollers 14 mounted in the usual guideways and lifting chains 15 are connected to the lower end of the bottom section 13 at the side edges thereof.

The door sections and mountingtherefor are of the usual construction, the lower section 13 being adapted to move as it is raised into overlapping position with reference to the upper section 12 and the two sections being thereafter moved in unison vertically and laterally to open position. This form of door mechanism is illustratedin manypatents as, for instance, Prescott No. 1,282,113, and therefore further details of the construction will be omitted.

The door sections are supported and guided in their opening movement by means of, a pair of links 20, one link being provided at each edge of the upper section 12 and being pivoted on a fixed bracket 21 carried by the door header or building structure. The links 20 are slotted at their lower ends, as shown at 22, and the lateral edges of the upper section 12 are provided with pins 23 which extend into the slots.

Any suitable operating means for opening the doors maybe utilized and in the form of the invention illustrated diagrammatically in Fig. 1, the cable 15 extends around a sheave 25 and has connected to its free end a counterweight 24. The sheave 25 is driven by means of gear connections 26, 27 from a gear wheel 28, which in turn is driven by a hand operated wheel 29 through gear connections 30 and 28. The wheel 29 is manually rotated by means of a chain 32.

Door latch mechanism in Figs. 2 and 3 comprises a snap latch 35' pivoted at 36 on a fixed bracket 37 mounted above the door header 10 and limited in its pivotal movement in an anti-clockwise direction by an adjustable stop member 38 which is adapted to engage a flange on the bracket. A spring 39 engages the latch member 35 and tends to move or snap the latch upwardly. The latch member 35 is adapted to coact with a keeper 40 mounted on the upper door section 12.

In Fig. 2 the latching mechanism is shown in operative position, the door being secured against the door header and jamb. When the door is opened by operating the chain 32 or in any other suitable manner, the lower section is first raised to a position overlapping the upper section, whereupon the further movement of the lower section will cause this section to pick up the upper section. The initial movement of the upper section 12 is vertical, as shown in'Fig. 3, whereupon the keeper 40 will be released from the latch. As the door operating mechanism is further actuated,'the two door sections will move as a unit inwardly and upwardly away from the jamb. When the door is closed the links will guide the door sections into position against the jamb and the keeper 40 will move over the latch until the latch swings or snaps into latching position after the door has reached its closed position.

In the form of the invention illustrated in Fig. 4, the construction is similar to that above described but differs therefrom in that the latch is in this instance fixed instead of pivoted. The outer end 46 of the latch is so shaped as to receive the keeper 40 as the door sections move against the ja-mb. In this form of the invention, the door by its closing inertia rides up the inclined end of the keeper and drops to locked position. It-unlocks by vertical-lift same as Fig. 3.

In Fig. 5 the latch 50 is pivoted on a bracket 51 carried by an angle iron member 52 which extends upwardly from the upper door section 12. The keeper 53 consists of a plate of angle section secured to the door header 10. In this case the downward movement of the latch 50 under the action of the spring 54 is limited by an adjustable stop member 55.

The construction shown in Fig. 5 operates in a manner similar to that shown in Figs. 2 and 3, but the operation differs in that the latch 50 moves away from the keeper during the opening movement instead of vice versa.

In Fig. 6 the latch is pivoted at 61 to one of the links 20. The latch is moved upwardly by a spring 62 and is limited in its upward movement by an adjustable stop 63. The latch 60 coacts with a keeper 64 mounted on the upper door section. In this form of the invention the lost motion connection between the door section 12 and the links permits the keeper 64 to be freed from the latch 60. Furthermore, as the door sections move against the jamb, the keeper will move over the latch into the position shown in Fig. 6.

In the form of the invention shown in Fig. 7, the construction is similar to that shown in Fig. 6 but differs therefrom in that the latch 7 0 is carried by the door section 12 and the keeper 71 is carried by one of the links 20.

From the foregoing description it will be evident that simple and practical door latch mechanism has been designed and that the mechanism is so constructed and arranged and the door is so mounted and operated that as the door is opened the latch and keeper will move out of coactive relation and as the door moves to closed position these members will move into coacting relation and will effectively secure the door against the jamb. Furthermore, it will be noted that the latching mechanism is applicable to a single door or door section since no parts other than those associated with the door or door section 12 are utilized for latching or unlatching the door.

' Although certain specific embodiments of the inventionhave been particularly shown and described, it will be understood that the invention is capable of modification and that changes in the construction and in the arrangement of the various cooperating parts may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention, as expressed in the following claims.

What I claim is:

1. In combination, a door jamb, a door movable vertically and laterally away from said jamb, a snap latch carried by one of said members and a keeper carried by the other member, and supporting and opening means for said door so constructed and arranged that the relative movement between the members by which the latch and keeper are carried will cause the latch and keeper to automatically move out of coacting relation when the door is opened and will automatically move into coacting relation when the door is closed. a

2. In combination, a door jamb, a door movable vertically and laterally away from said jamb, a latch movably mounted on one of said members and a keeper carriedby the other member, door supporting and guiding means, said means having a lost motion connection to the door whereby the latch and keeper can be moved out of coacting relation due to the lost motion connection and before the door moves away from the jamb.

3. In combination, a door movable vertically and laterally to open position, latch mechanism for latching the door in closed position, said latch mechanism comprising a snap latch and keeper, one of said members being carried by the door and being movable away from operative and coacting position with the other by the movement of the door part by which said member is carried as the door is opened and being movable with the door into coacting relation with the other as the door is closed.

4. In combination, a door movable vertically and laterally to open position, latch mechanism for locking the door in closed position, said latch mechanism comprising a snap latch and keeper, one of said members being carried by the door and the other being connected to the wall structure on which the door is mounted, the member carried by the door being movable away from operative and coacting position with the other by the movement of the door part by which it IS carried as the door is opened and being movable with the door into coacting relation with the other as the door is closed.

5. In combination, a door movable vertically and laterally to open position, latch mechanism for locking the door in closed position, said latch mechanism comprising a movably mounted latch and keeper, one of said members being carried by the door, the other being mounted on a fixed support, the member carried by the door being vertically raised with the door from coactingrelation to the other member as the door begins its opening movement.

6. In combination, a door movable vertically and laterally to open position, a keeper on the door, a snap latch mounted on a fixed support and adapted to coact with the keeper to latch the door in closed position, and means for supporting and guiding the door constructed and arranged to permit vertical movement of the keeper away from the latch on the initial door opening movement.

7. In combination, a door movable vertically and laterally to open position, a keeper on the door, a snap latch mounted on a fixed support and adapted to coact with the keeper to latch the door in closed position, and lost motion means for supporting and guiding the door constructed and arranged to permit vertical movement of the keeper away from the latch on the initial door opening movement.

8. In combination, a door movable vertically and laterally to open position, a keeper on the door, a snap latch mounted on a fixed support and adapted to coact with the keeper to latch the door in closed position, and link structure for supporting and guiding the door constructed and arranged to permit vertical movement of the keeper away from the latch on the initial door opening movement.

9. In combination, a door movable vertically and laterally to open position, a keeper on the door, a latch movably mounted on a fixed supportand adapted to coact with the keeper to latch the door in closed position, and link structure for supporting and guiding the door, said link structure having a lost motion connection with the door con structed and arranged to permit vertical movement of the keeper away from the latch on the initial door opening movement.

10. In combination, a door movable vertically and laterally to open position, a keeper on the door extending upwardly therefrom, a latch movably mounted on a fixed support above the closed position of the door and adapted tocoact with the keeper to latch the door in closed position, and means for supporting and guiding the door constructed and arranged to permit vertical movement of the keeper away from the latch on the initial door opening movement.

11. In combination, a door movable vertically and laterally to open position, a keeper on the door extending upwardly therefrom, a, latch pivotally mounted on a fixed support above the closed position of the door and adapted to coact with the keeper to latch the door in closed position, and means for supporting and guiding the door constructed and arranged to permit vertical movement of the keeper away from the latch on the initial door opening movement.

12. In combination, a door movable vertically and laterally to open position, a keeper on the door, a snap latch mounted on a fixed support and adapted to coact with the keeper to hold the door in closed position, link structure for supporting and guiding the door and having a lost motion connection so dimen sioned as to allow sufficient movement of the door to free the keeper from the latch.

13. In combination, a door movable vertically and laterally to open position, a snap latch on the door, a keeper mounted on a fixed support and adapted to coact with the latch to latch the door in closed position, and lost motion means for supporting and guiding the door constructed and arranged to permit vertical movement of the latch away from the keeper on the initial door opening movement.

14. In combination, a door section movable vertically and laterally to open position, a

. keeper mounted on and movable vertically with the said section, a link adapted to support and guide the door section during the opening and closing movement thereof and having lost motion means to permit said vertical movement of the section and keeper, a resilient latch mounted on a fixed support, a stop restraining said latch in position to resiliently engage said keeper when the door closes, and means for raising the section and lifting the keeper out of engagement with the latch and'for moving the section laterally to open position. a

15. In combination, a door section movable vertically and laterally to open position, a resilient latch mounted on and movable vertically with the door section, a link adapted to support and guide the door section during the opening and closing movement thereof and having lost motion means to permit said vertical movement of the section and latch, a keeper mounted on a fixed support, a stop restraining said latch in position to resiliently engage said keeper when the door closes, and means for raising the section and releasing the latch from engagement with the keeper and for moving the section laterally to open position.

16. In combination, a door section movable vertically and laterally to open position, a resilient latch mounted on and movable vertically with the door section, a link adapted to 7 support and guide the door section during the opening and closing movement thereof and having lost motion means to permit said vertical movement of the section and latch, a

keeper mounted on the link, a stop restraining said latch in position to resiliently engage said keeper when the door closes, and means for raising the section and releasing the latch from engagement with the keeper and for moving the section laterally to open position.

CHARLES (1- .TOMKINSON. 

